ESTABLISHMENT OF PRIMARY KERATINOCYTE CULTURE FROM HORSE TISSUE BIOPSATES

Primary cell lines established from skin tissue can be used in immunological, proteomic and genomic studies as in vitro skin models. The goal of our study was to establish a primary keratinocyte cell culture from tissue biopsates of two horses. The primary keratinocyte cell culture was obtained by mechanical and enzymatic dissociation and with explant culture method. The result was a heterogeneous primary culture comprised of keratinocytes and fibroblasts. To distinguish epithelial and mesenchymal cells immunofluorescent characterisation was performed, using antibodies against cytokeratin 14 and vimentin. We successfully at attained a primary cell line of keratinocytes, which could potentially be used to study equine skin diseases, as an animal model for human diseases, and for cosmetic and therapeutic product testing.